[1]The Quinte Career Fair was held Thursday at the Quinte Sports and Wellness Centre. Photo by Lindsey Harren, QNet News
By Lindsey Harren [2]
BELLEVILLE – The Quinte Career Fair [3]attracted a lot of resumés and employers at the Quinte Sports and Wellness Centre Thursday.
Roughly 50 employers and employer services were accepting resumés and promoting their companies.
Shorelines Casino was one of the busiest employer booths, attracting a steady lineup of people.
Karen Poste, manager of economic and strategic initiatives for the City of Belleville, said that the career fair has been going on for over 10 years. Poste said that the fairs coincide with when employers are hiring.
“We’ve had a great turnout. We have had about 200 people through the door and we’ve been open for just about two hours,” Poste told QNet News Thursday morning.
The career fair is funded by sponsorships along with the cities of Belleville and Quinte West.
Rob Frick, employment counsellor with Career Edge in Trenton, said his organization has attended every Quinte Career Fair.
“We’re actually one of the three who help host it … along with Community Employment Services [4] and Meta Employment Services [5],” he said.
The career fair is a great way to get employers and job seekers connected in the community, Fricke said.
“So far it’s been a fantastic response. There is a lot of great employers here. Helps that the casino is here.”
Morgan Foran from Meta Employment Services said: “A lot of people are finding jobs right now.”
Dusty Timbbs, also of Meta Employment Services, said the jobs created by Shorelines Casino [6] are something they are helping their clients work towards.
Brian Alexander was among the many people looking at the jobs available. He said he was looking for a change after spending a decade drywalling. He hadn’t been to a career fair since he was 16 but was pleased with the turnout Thursday, he said.
Louise Hyatt, a human-resources technician with Proctor and Gamble, said she too was pleased with the turnout.
“It’s been really busy here today. There was a lineup at the door when we opened here this morning,” said Hyatt.
Hers was one of many companies that were encouraging people to submit their resumés online.